A brief overview of the first 3 months of Wee Blue Dot, and a snippet of each episode for you to enjoy. Follow Wee Blue Dot - we're social animals! Facebook - @WeeBlueDot Twitter - @weebluedot Instagram - @weebluedot WBD LinkedIn Email - weebluedot@gmail.com Music: "Savannah (Sketch)" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 ..read more

In our final episode of season one we welcome Kedar Gore, Director of The Corbett Foundation, a conservation charity based in India. TCF work across a vast array of landscapes, with numerous animal and human populations, leading amazing projects that really make a difference to the lives of those involved. Their core values include incorporating cohabitation into all of their work, and the reduction of human-wildlife conflict wherever possible. Kedar is an experienced, award-winning conservationist, who is passionate about what he does. It was great to discuss his route in to his current role ..read more

Great to have Jo as a guest on Wee Blue Dot to hear all about her experience in the conservation education world. We discuss her position with the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland, their leading role in the deposit return scheme in Scotland, and why she decided to set up her own conservation education business – Wild Planet Explorers. We chat about the part climate change should be playing in our schools’ curriculum, how the younger generation can play their part, and why engagement in science and conservation is so important for all ages. If you are interested in education in ..read more

Great to have Jack Baker on as a guest, host of Pangolin: The Conservation Podcast. Jack is our youngest "Wee Blue Dotter" to date....... but has had an interesting variety of conservation education experience so far. We discuss the reality facing wild pangolins today, and why they are the most trafficked mammal on the planet. Tune in to learn more about Jack’s route into his roles, his love for pangolins, and how COVID has led to his creation of a wonderful podcast. Having known Jack from his first job in Deep Sea World, it’s great to see how his career is developing. Follow Pangolin: The Co ..read more

It was eye-opening to chat to Andrew Campbell, CEO of the Game Rangers’ Association of Africa, about the reality of life on the front line of wildlife conservation today. We discuss his background and route into the field, as well as what his job entails. The variety of game ranger roles across Africa is vast – something which we hope you all enjoy learning more about! GRAA are an amazing organisation providing training, support, uniforms, medical evacuation and both physical and mental help to families should the worst happen. Tune in to learn more about the life of a game ranger and what you ..read more

In Episode 10 we chat to Mary-Anne Collis, Conservation Officer with Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels. Mary-Anne tells all about her conservation experience across the globe, and how she ended up working with “Irn-bru” squirrels in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs. Scotland is home to 75% of the UK’s red squirrel population, and SSRS is doing loads of amazing work to protect them. In the last 70 years the UK has seen a huge decrease in numbers, with the surviving red squirrels being pushed further and further north year on year. These beautiful little beasties are struggling due to habitat loss ..read more

Episode 9 welcomes Julie Vanassche – the manager of the Libassa Wildlife Sanctuary in Liberia. Julie helped set up Libassa, which is the only wildlife rescue center supporting a variety of different species in the country. We discuss the illegal pet trade, poaching, the trafficking of animals, as well as how poverty has a huge impact on wildlife and conservation. Learn more about species native to Liberia including the threats facing the most trafficked animal in the world – the pangolin. Julie’s background as a zookeeper and varied experience results in an engaging conversation about the diff ..read more

Episode 7 welcomes Leigh Morris, CEO of the Manx Wildlife Trust. We chat about island living, nature-based solutions and the variety of species found on the Isle of Man. Leigh tells us more about his experiences in horticulture, zoo’s, education and travel, and discusses the role the wildlife trusts play in protecting our native flora and fauna. Having spent the two years prior to joining Manx Wildlife Trust living on the remote Atlantic island of St Helena, Leigh understands the importance of island restoration, recovery, and conservation. Also – did you know there are wild wallabies on the I ..read more

In Episode 6 we delve into Scotland’s west coast waters to learn all about the amazing marine life that call it home. Siobhán – Community Engagement Officer with the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust – tells us about her experiences, why it’s so important to protect our west coast community, and how HWDT involves local residents and tourists in their work. We chat orcas, whales, porpoises and more…. and discuss how listeners can even get the chance to join them on their research vessel, Silurian! A fascinating chat about human impact on the ocean, and the abundance of life in Scotland’s (somet ..read more

In Episode 5 we chat to David Field, CEO of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which runs both Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is a registered charity which has been working to promote awareness and conservation of rare and endangered animals for over 100 years. David talks about his route in the zoo world (from zookeeper to CEO), how life has been over the last year, and how the zoo inspires him personally. We discuss the role of a good zoo today, why engagement is so important, and how listeners at home can support the amaz ..read more